Raid de Himalayas to be flagged off tomorrow

Shimla, Oct 1 (UNI) The ninth edition of the Raid de Himayalas will be flagged off from Hotel Peterhoff by Himachal Pradesh Sports Minister Ram Lal Thakur tomorrow.

As many as 145 teams, including six international teams, are participating in this most thrilling motor sports event of the country.

Of the total, 38 participants are in the tougher, X-treme category, 59 are in adventure trail actegory and the remaining 48 join the event on two wheelers.

Addressing mediapersons here today, vice president Himalayan Motorsports Association Manjeev Bhalla, said this time two all woman teams are participating in the event.

For the first time, a woman biker from abroad would participate in this mega motor sports events.

Indian Army with six teams and Indian Air Force with one team are participating in the rally that cross 11 world's highest passes.

''This rally would cover a distance of approximately 1,715 kms in seven days. The rally that would traverse through Manali, Kaza, Gramphoo, Patseo, leh and Kargil would culminate in Srinagar on October eight,'' he said.

The rallyists would cover around 300 km per day of which around 65 per cent would comprise competitive narrow paths along with mountains.

This year the rally would also pass through the second coldest places in the world Drass before coming to an end at Srinagar.

Defending champion Suresh rana of Himachal Pradesh would also participate for the six lakh total prize money event.

The only other Himachal participants in the event Mann Singh would also participate in the extreme category that is being sponsored by Spyker.

Singh had secured tenth position overall, while sixth position in the T-category in the last year's rally.